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Open-source alternatives to Discord

8 free, open-source alternatives with 119K total GitHub stars. The best open-source alternative to Discord is Rocket.Chat, with 45.4K GitHub stars.

Updated July 2026Stats synced from GitHub
#1
Rocket.Chat

Rocket.Chat

Self-hosted team messaging — channels, video, and compliance.

MIT-licensed alternative to Slack and Mattermost with end-to-end encryption, Omnichannel, apps marketplace, and FedRAMP-ready compliance.

chatmessagingcollaboration
45.4K13.6KMIT
vs Slack
#2
Mattermost

Mattermost

Secure team collaboration — messaging, playbooks, and integrations.

MIT-licensed alternative to Slack with channels, threads, webhooks, Jira/GitHub integrations, and Playbooks for incident response. Desktop and mobile apps.

chatcollaborationmessaging
36.9K8.7KMIT
vs Slack
#3
Element

Element

Matrix-based team messaging — decentralized and end-to-end encrypted.

Element is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted collaboration client built on the decentralized Matrix protocol, so it can federate across independent servers rather than relying on one company's infrastructure. AGPL-3.0 licensed.

chatmessagingcollaboration
13.3K2.7KAGPL-3.0
vs Slack
#4
Fluxer

Fluxer

Discord-style chat for communities — messaging, voice, and video, self-hostable.

Fluxer is a free, open-source instant messaging and VoIP platform for friends, groups, and communities, styled after Discord. AGPL-3.0 licensed with self-hosting support.

self-hostedvideochat
9.5K632AGPL-3.0
vs Discord
#5
Campfire

Campfire

Simple self-hosted group chat from 37signals — one-time, MIT-licensed, no subscription.

Campfire is a simple, self-hosted group chat application from 37signals, released as open source under the MIT license in 2025. It's deliberately minimal — @mentions, DMs, rooms — with no recurring subscription.

chatmessagingcollaboration
4.4K747MIT
vs Slack
#6
Cinny

Cinny

Elegant Matrix client — end-to-end encrypted, clean interface.

Cinny is an open-source Matrix client focused on a simple, elegant interface for end-to-end encrypted conversations. AGPL-3.0 licensed, it connects to any Matrix homeserver.

chatmessagingcommunity
3.8K551AGPL-3.0
vs Discord
#7
Stoat

Stoat

Self-hostable Discord alternative (formerly Revolt) — servers, channels, voice.

Stoat (formerly Revolt) is an open-source, self-hostable group chat platform styled after Discord — servers, channels, voice, and moderation — built in the EU with no ads or data mining. Self-hosted components are AGPL-3.0 licensed.

chatmessagingcommunity
3.1K367AGPL-3.0
vs Discord
#8
Quiet

Quiet

Peer-to-peer team chat over Tor — no servers, no phone number, no metadata.

Quiet is an open-source, peer-to-peer team chat that syncs messages directly between devices over Tor, with no central server, no phone number, and no metadata collection. GPL-3.0 licensed.

chatmessagingcommunity
2.6K141GPL-3.0
vs Slack

Compare Discord alternatives

ToolStarsForksLicenseSelf-hosted
Rocket.Chat45.4K13.6KMITYes
Mattermost36.9K8.7KMITYes
Element13.3K2.7KAGPL-3.0Yes
Fluxer9.5K632AGPL-3.0Yes
Campfire4.4K747MITYes
Cinny3.8K551AGPL-3.0Yes
Stoat3.1K367AGPL-3.0Yes
Quiet2.6K141GPL-3.0Yes

Discord is a proprietary chat platform popular with gaming and online communities. It's free to use but closed source, ad-supported at scale, and your community's data and history live entirely on Discord's servers. Open-source alternatives let you self-host and own your community's data.

For the closest Discord-style community experience — servers, channels, voice — Fluxer and Stoat (formerly Revolt) are the most direct matches. If you want federation and end-to-end encryption, Element and Cinny are built on the Matrix protocol. Rocket.Chat and Mattermost lean more toward workplace teams than communities but are fully capable self-hosted options. For maximum privacy, Quiet syncs peer-to-peer over Tor with no central server at all, and Campfire is a minimal, no-frills option.

FAQ

Is there a free, open-source alternative to Discord?

Yes. Fluxer, Stoat, Element, and Cinny are all open source and free to self-host or use, with a community-chat experience.

What's the closest open-source alternative to Discord for communities?

Fluxer and Stoat most closely replicate Discord's servers-and-channels community model. Note that Stoat is not end-to-end encrypted and is a relatively young project.

Are there end-to-end encrypted Discord alternatives?

Element and Cinny, both built on Matrix, offer end-to-end encryption, and Quiet uses a serverless peer-to-peer design over Tor. Most Discord-style community tools prioritize openness over confidential messaging.

What are the top open-source alternatives to Discord?

Browse all open-source alternatives to Discord above, or explore the Community category.

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